The present invention relates to floating supporting means for swimming pool covers. Swimming pool covers are widely used by owners of outdoor pools to shield the pool from dirt, debris and the elements during such times when the pools are not in use. The obvious advantages of protecting the water in the pool by covering it are often frustrated by dirt, debris and rain water collecting at the unsupported center of the pool cover causing the cover to sag at the center. When this occurs, it is quite difficult to remove the cover from the pool because of the weight of the debris and more particularly the collected water, without allowing the undesirable dirt particles, objects, or water to fall in. Another problem associated with unsupported pool covers is wind flapping of a side of the cover which is caused by the migration of collected water to a corner of the cover causing in turn uneven loading of the cover.
Supporting means for swimming pool covers found in the prior art generally comprise large, center mounted floats. Many disadvantages have been experienced in connection with such a type of pool cover support means, for example, stress and susceptibility to heat build up of the large volume of air trapped below the cover, causing excessive heat deterioration of the pool cover. Another disadvantage experienced with center supported pool covers is their inability to be adequately supported when the pool is kidney-shaped or has some other asymmetrical shape. Failure or deflation of a large center mounted support float results in the entire defeat of the pool cover support system and the collapse of the pool cover into the pool.